WTTW Kids 24/7: Check our schedule or stream to keep up with Nature Cat, Molly of Denali, Curious George, Daniel Tiger, and the rest of the gang. For advice on how to talk to your kids about coronavirus, here's a helpful post from PBS KIDS.

As schools close in Illinois and around the country and many people are hunkered down or working from home, we are looking for educational and entertaining things to do! PBS KIDS has games that will help keep your little ones occupied as they learn about math, science, reading, and art, as well as social skills and emotions. WTTW has put together a list of things to keep the kiddos busy while you’re on that conference call or helping out a neighbor, as well as some activities you can do together when learning and working from home are finished for the day. There are plenty of other games and activities, too. And if you're looking for shows to stream for yourself or to entertain an older kid, we've got a list of some free options from PBS and WTTW.

Games

Nature Road Trip

Go on a road trip adventure with Nature Cat to journey to different parks and collect Nature Energy. 

Explore with Molly of Denali

Get to know Molly of Denali’s hometown and play a new game at different stops in Qyah, Alaska. 

Train Station

Join Curious George as he plays with his train sets. Put your math skills to the test by helping George make the trains the same length by adding the right amount of train cars. 

Detective Elmo: The Cookie Case

Work with Detective Elmo to search for clues to solve the mystery of a missing cookie painting that was stolen from a museum.

Arthur’s Resilience Quiz

Help your child cope with these uncertain times with a quiz that will help your kid learn how to bounce back from a scary event.

Crafts & Activities

Toe Claws Coloring Page

Print out and color a picture of toe claws from Dinosaur Train. There are tons of other coloring pages and printables to get colorful with your favorite characters, too. 

Rhyming I Spy 

Peek out the window or around the room for a rhyming twist on the popular I Spy game. 

Inflate a Balloon with Baking Soda and Vinegar

You can inflate a balloon with a fun science experiment that just requires a few household items. 

Bake Mom Tiger’s Banana Bread

Bake the same banana bread that Daniel Tiger and his friend Baker Aker surprised Daniel’s mom with. It has just seven ingredients and only takes an hour to bake.

Make a “My Accomplishments” Book

All you need is paper, glue, markers or crayons, and a stapler to boost your kid’s confidence by making a mini-book of all the challenges they’ve overcome. You can also help your kid brainstorm how to cope with future frustrations.